Affordable Interior Decorating

A vibrant wall color, decorative accents and new cushion covers help to modernize this living room on a shoestring budget.

Spruce up your interior spaces with budget-friendly decor. Affordable decorating begins with using what you already have. Give a new purpose to an existing furniture piece by moving it to a different room, and refurbish old pieces to give them new life. Browse flea markets, consignment shops, estate sales and discount stores for decorating bargains and one-of-a-kind furniture finds. Get free decorating advice from a professional designer by bartering for your own expertise or products.

Walls

Give your walls a new color, style or design by applying a fresh coat of paint -- one of the most economical ways to provide the most dramatic change. Add designer-savvy fashion when you create a feature wall painted in a contrasting hue or lively striped pattern. Hang wallpaper with an attractive, textural pattern to stir up your visual senses. Delight your kids by covering a kitchen wall with chalkboard paint as a parent-approved space for them to doodle and draw as they please. Install decorative trim to your walls, such as crown molding or chair rail, to ramp up bland walls.

Windows

Add noticeable width to narrow windows by hanging the curtain rods wider than your actual window frame. Create the illusion of taller windows by installing the rods a few inches from the ceiling. Hide the wall space from the rod to the top of the window frame with a fabric valance. Drape an economical window scarf over a decorative curtain rod to suggest an upscale feel for only a few dollars. If you're handy with the sewing machine, make your own window treatments from fabric remnants or unused tablecloths. Transform inexpensive fabric shower curtains into eye-catching window dressings with clip-on metal curtain rings.

Furniture and Fixtures

Make tired furniture come alive with a fresh paint color and stylish hardware. Exchange your existing hardware for metallic handles, knobs and pulls to give pieces a modern flair. Revamp worn sofas and chairs with fitted slipcovers, or swap out individual seat and back cushion covers with new replacements. Add decorative toss pillows and cozy furniture throws to complete the seating update. Revive old kitchen and bathroom counters with budget-friendly laminate countertops. New faucet handles provide an economical, easy fix for modernizing vintage sinks and tubs. Get the airy look of glass kitchen cabinets without the expensive price tag. Remove the cabinet doors and arrange your dishes in a decorative, organized manner.

Accessories

Reinvent ordinary household items into stunning accessories. For example, design an eye-catching wall hanging by covering an oversize blank canvas with a fabric remnant, old quilt or patterned bed sheet. Use canning jars as vases to hold fresh flowers, and fill a large glass bowl with natural limes and lemons for a pop of citrus delight. Repurpose an old mirror as a glamorous tray to hold a trio of white candles in your bathroom. Display a collection of vintage bottles on your windowsill or wall shelf. Frame and mat your children's artwork for economical art pieces that are packed with memories. Revamp a tired lampshade with paint, ribbons, fabric, tassels, beads and other embellishments. Accessorize with low-cost items, such as small stacks of books, your favorite black-and-white framed photographs and fragrant candles.

About the Author

Mary Cockrill's education and certifications in interior design and home staging have allowed her to author numerous home-related articles. Cockrill has been a top design consultant for a renowned home store and is the owner of Starwood Home & Gifts, LLC, an interior design, decorating and home staging business. She holds a Bachelor of Science in secondary education with a comprehensive major in office administration.